Cops: They Made Sex Videos —by Hacking 120K Cameras

South Korean police have arrested four people accused of hacking over 120,000 internet-connected cameras, then using the footage to create and sell sexually exploitative videos online. Authorities say the suspects did not work together but each exploited weak passwords on Internet Protocol (IP) cameras, which are often used across homes and businesses for monitoring children, pets, or property. The hacked cameras were located in a wide range of places, including private residences, a Pilates studio, even a gynecologist's clinic, reports the BBC.

One suspect allegedly compromised 63,000 cameras and produced more than 500 videos, which he sold for roughly $12,000 in virtual currency. Another is accused of hacking 70,000 cameras, selling nearly 650 videos for about $6,300. Police say these two alone accounted for the majority of videos posted in the past year on a website dedicated to such illegal footage. Three others suspected of buying or viewing the illicit material have also been arrested.

Authorities are now working with foreign agencies to shut down the site and track down its operators. They've also begun notifying victims and are helping them take steps to secure their devices. The National Police Agency emphasized that illegal filming inflicts "immense suffering" on victims and warned that simply viewing this kind of video is also a serious crime. The agency urges anyone who uses an IP camera "to remain vigilant and immediately and regularly change their access passwords." Some guessed passwords included "repetition of the same letter," per the Korea Herald.